1
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Nathues A, Hoffmann M, Schmedemann N, Sarkar R, Thangjam G, Mengel K, Hernandez J, Hiesinger H, Pasckert JH. Brine residues and organics in the Urvara basin on Ceres. Nat Commun 2022; 13:927. [PMID: 35194036 PMCID: PMC8863799 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28570-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ceres is a partially differentiated dwarf planet, as confirmed by NASA's Dawn mission. The Urvara basin (diameter ~170 km) is its third-largest impact feature, enabling insights into the cerean crust. Urvara's geology and mineralogy suggest a potential brine layer at the crust-mantle transition. Here we report new findings that help in understanding the structure and composition of the cerean crust. These results were derived by using the highest-resolution Framing Camera images acquired by Dawn at Ceres. Unexpectedly, we found meter-scale concentrated exposures of bright material (salts) along the crater's upper central ridge, which originate from an enormous depth, possibly from a deep-seated brine or salt reservoir. An extended resurfacing modified the southern floor ~100 Myr after crater formation (~250 Myr), long after the dissipation of the impact-generated heat. In this resurfaced area, one floor scarp shows a granular flow pattern of bright material, showing spectra consistent with the presence of organic material, the first such finding on Ceres beyond the vast Ernutet area. Our results strengthen the hypothesis that Ceres is and has been a geologically active world even in recent epochs, with salts and organic-rich material playing a major role in its evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - M Hoffmann
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - N Schmedemann
- Institut für Planetologie, WWU Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - R Sarkar
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - G Thangjam
- School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, NISER, HBNI, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - K Mengel
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - J Hernandez
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - H Hiesinger
- Institut für Planetologie, WWU Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - J H Pasckert
- Institut für Planetologie, WWU Münster, Münster, Germany
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2
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Aponte-Hernández B, Rivera-Valentín EG, Kirchoff MR, Schenk PM. Morphometric Study of Craters on Saturn's Moon Rhea. THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL 2021; 2:235. [PMID: 34913034 PMCID: PMC8670330 DOI: 10.3847/psj/ac32d4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Morphometric studies of impact craters on icy moons can be used to understand modification of crater topography. Several processes (e.g., viscous relaxation, ejecta deposition, repeated and overlapping impacts) act to shallow crater depth and relax the crater wall slope to similar or varying extents. Resolving these processes can help constrain the interior structure and surface properties of icy moons. Here, using morphometric measurements of craters on Rhea, we aim to constrain the processes that led to the observed crater population. We measured crater diameter, depth, and wall slope, as well as overall crater morphology (e.g., simple versus complex craters). Our results indicate that there exists a linear correlation between impact crater depth-to-diameter ratio and crater wall slope. This may suggest that the dominant modification process on Rhea is one that affects both properties simultaneously, which supports past heating events as the primary post-impact modification process. Additionally, the simple-to-complex crater transition for Rhea was found to be 12 ± 2 km, which is consistent with reported transition diameters for comparably sized icy bodies, indicating similar surface properties. A transition to shallower crater depths for large complex craters was not documented, indicating the absence of a rheological transition at depth in Rhea's icy lithosphere, which may support the interpretation that Rhea is not fully differentiated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul M Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Houston, TX 77058, USA
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3
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Shi X, Castillo-Rogez J, Hsieh H, Hui H, Ip WH, Lei H, Li JY, Tosi F, Zhou L, Agarwal J, Barucci A, Beck P, Bagatin AC, Capaccioni F, Coates AJ, Cremonese G, Duffard R, Grande M, Jaumann R, Jones GH, Kallio E, Lin Y, Mousis O, Nathues A, Oberst J, Sierks H, Ulamec S, Wang M. GAUSS - genesis of asteroids and evolution of the solar system: A sample return mission to Ceres. EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY 2021; 54:713-744. [PMID: 36915624 PMCID: PMC9998589 DOI: 10.1007/s10686-021-09800-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The goal of Project GAUSS (Genesis of Asteroids and evolUtion of the Solar System) is to return samples from the dwarf planet Ceres. Ceres is the most accessible candidate of ocean worlds and the largest reservoir of water in the inner Solar System. It shows active volcanism and hydrothermal activities in recent history. Recent evidence for the existence of a subsurface ocean on Ceres and the complex geochemistry suggest past habitability and even the potential for ongoing habitability. GAUSS will return samples from Ceres with the aim of answering the following top-level scientific questions: What is the origin of Ceres and what does this imply for the origin of water and other volatiles in the inner Solar System?What are the physical properties and internal structure of Ceres? What do they tell us about the evolutionary and aqueous alteration history of dwarf planets?What are the astrobiological implications of Ceres? Is it still habitable today?What are the mineralogical connections between Ceres and our current collections of carbonaceous meteorites?
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Shi
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Present Address: Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Hejiu Hui
- School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wing-Huen Ip
- Institute of Astronomy and Space Science, National Central University, Chung Li, Taiwan
| | - Hanlun Lei
- School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Federico Tosi
- Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), Rome, Italy
| | - Liyong Zhou
- School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jessica Agarwal
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Antonella Barucci
- LESIA-Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, F-92195 Meudon, Principal Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Beck
- CNRS Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Adriano Campo Bagatin
- Universidad de Alicante, Departamento de Física, Ingeniería de Sistemas y Teoría de la Señal, Alicante, Spain
| | - Fabrizio Capaccioni
- Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica – Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (INAF-IAPS), Rome, Italy
| | - Andrew J. Coates
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Rene Duffard
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Granada, Spain
| | | | - Ralf Jaumann
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Geraint H. Jones
- Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London, Surrey, UK
| | - Esa Kallio
- School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Aalto, Finland
| | - Yangting Lin
- Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Andreas Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Oberst
- DLR Institute of Planetary Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Holger Sierks
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Ulamec
- DLR Space Operations and Astronaut Training, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mingyuan Wang
- National Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
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4
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Kaplan HH, Lauretta DS, Simon AA, Hamilton VE, DellaGiustina DN, Golish DR, Reuter DC, Bennett CA, Burke KN, Campins H, Connolly HC, Dworkin JP, Emery JP, Glavin DP, Glotch TD, Hanna R, Ishimaru K, Jawin ER, McCoy TJ, Porter N, Sandford SA, Ferrone S, Clark BE, Li JY, Zou XD, Daly MG, Barnouin OS, Seabrook JA, Enos HL. Bright carbonate veins on asteroid (101955) Bennu: Implications for aqueous alteration history. Science 2020; 370:science.abc3557. [PMID: 33033155 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc3557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The composition of asteroids and their connection to meteorites provide insight into geologic processes that occurred in the early Solar System. We present spectra of the Nightingale crater region on near-Earth asteroid Bennu with a distinct infrared absorption around 3.4 micrometers. Corresponding images of boulders show centimeters-thick, roughly meter-long bright veins. We interpret the veins as being composed of carbonates, similar to those found in aqueously altered carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. If the veins on Bennu are carbonates, fluid flow and hydrothermal deposition on Bennu's parent body would have occurred on kilometer scales for thousands to millions of years. This suggests large-scale, open-system hydrothermal alteration of carbonaceous asteroids in the early Solar System.
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Affiliation(s)
- H H Kaplan
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA. .,Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - D S Lauretta
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - A A Simon
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | | | - D N DellaGiustina
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - D R Golish
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - D C Reuter
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - C A Bennett
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - K N Burke
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - H Campins
- Department of Physics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - H C Connolly
- Department of Geology, School of Earth and Environment, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA.,Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - J P Dworkin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - J P Emery
- Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - D P Glavin
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - T D Glotch
- Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - R Hanna
- Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - K Ishimaru
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - E R Jawin
- Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - T J McCoy
- Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - N Porter
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - S A Sandford
- NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA, USA
| | - S Ferrone
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - B E Clark
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - J-Y Li
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - X-D Zou
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - M G Daly
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - O S Barnouin
- John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - J A Seabrook
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - H L Enos
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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5
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Scully JEC, Schenk PM, Castillo-Rogez JC, Buczkowski DL, Williams DA, Pasckert JH, Duarte KD, Romero VN, Quick LC, Sori MM, Landis ME, Raymond CA, Neesemann A, Schmidt BE, Sizemore HG, Russell CT. The varied sources of faculae-forming brines in Ceres' Occator crater emplaced via hydrothermal brine effusion. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3680. [PMID: 32778642 PMCID: PMC7417532 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15973-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Before acquiring highest-resolution data of Ceres, questions remained about the emplacement mechanism and source of Occator crater's bright faculae. Here we report that brine effusion emplaced the faculae in a brine-limited, impact-induced hydrothermal system. Impact-derived fracturing enabled brines to reach the surface. The central faculae, Cerealia and Pasola Facula, postdate the central pit, and were primarily sourced from an impact-induced melt chamber, with some contribution from a deeper, pre-existing brine reservoir. Vinalia Faculae, in the crater floor, were sourced from the laterally extensive deep reservoir only. Vinalia Faculae are comparatively thinner and display greater ballistic emplacement than the central faculae because the deep reservoir brines took a longer path to the surface and contained more gas than the shallower impact-induced melt chamber brines. Impact-derived fractures providing conduits, and mixing of impact-induced melt with deeper endogenic brines, could also allow oceanic material to reach the surfaces of other large icy bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E C Scully
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - P M Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J C Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - D L Buczkowski
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - D A Williams
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - J H Pasckert
- Institute für Planetologie, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - K D Duarte
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - V N Romero
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - L C Quick
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - M M Sori
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - M E Landis
- Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - A Neesemann
- Free University of Berlin, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - B E Schmidt
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - C T Russell
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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6
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Zellner NEB. Cataclysm No More: New Views on the Timing and Delivery of Lunar Impactors. ORIGINS LIFE EVOL B 2017; 47:261-280. [PMID: 28470374 PMCID: PMC5602003 DOI: 10.1007/s11084-017-9536-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
If properly interpreted, the impact record of the Moon, Earth's nearest neighbour, can be used to gain insights into how the Earth has been influenced by impacting events since its formation ~4.5 billion years (Ga) ago. However, the nature and timing of the lunar impactors - and indeed the lunar impact record itself - are not well understood. Of particular interest are the ages of lunar impact basins and what they tell us about the proposed "lunar cataclysm" and/or the late heavy bombardment (LHB), and how this impact episode may have affected early life on Earth or other planets. Investigations of the lunar impactor population over time have been undertaken and include analyses of orbital data and images; lunar, terrestrial, and other planetary sample data; and dynamical modelling. Here, the existing information regarding the nature of the lunar impact record is reviewed and new interpretations are presented. Importantly, it is demonstrated that most evidence supports a prolonged lunar (and thus, terrestrial) bombardment from ~4.2 to 3.4 Ga and not a cataclysmic spike at ~3.9 Ga. Implications for the conditions required for the origin of life are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolle E B Zellner
- Department of Physics, Albion College, 611 E. Porter St, Albion, MI, 49224, USA.
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7
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Russell CT, Raymond CA, Ammannito E, Buczkowski DL, De Sanctis MC, Hiesinger H, Jaumann R, Konopliv AS, McSween HY, Nathues A, Park RS, Pieters CM, Prettyman TH, McCord TB, McFadden LA, Mottola S, Zuber MT, Joy SP, Polanskey C, Rayman MD, Castillo-Rogez JC, Chi PJ, Combe JP, Ermakov A, Fu RR, Hoffmann M, Jia YD, King SD, Lawrence DJ, Li JY, Marchi S, Preusker F, Roatsch T, Ruesch O, Schenk P, Villarreal MN, Yamashita N. Dawn arrives at Ceres: Exploration of a small, volatile-rich world. Science 2017; 353:1008-1010. [PMID: 27701107 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
On 6 March 2015, Dawn arrived at Ceres to find a dark, desiccated surface punctuated by small, bright areas. Parts of Ceres' surface are heavily cratered, but the largest expected craters are absent. Ceres appears gravitationally relaxed at only the longest wavelengths, implying a mechanically strong lithosphere with a weaker deep interior. Ceres' dry exterior displays hydroxylated silicates, including ammoniated clays of endogenous origin. The possibility of abundant volatiles at depth is supported by geomorphologic features such as flat crater floors with pits, lobate flows of materials, and a singular mountain that appears to be an extrusive cryovolcanic dome. On one occasion, Ceres temporarily interacted with the solar wind, producing a bow shock accelerating electrons to energies of tens of kilovolts.
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Affiliation(s)
- C T Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA.
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - E Ammannito
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - D L Buczkowski
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723-6099, USA
| | - M C De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - H Hiesinger
- Institut für Planetologie, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - R Jaumann
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - A S Konopliv
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - H Y McSween
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410, USA
| | - A Nathues
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - R S Park
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - C M Pieters
- Brown University, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | | | - T B McCord
- The Bear Fight Institute, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - L A McFadden
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - S Mottola
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - M T Zuber
- Massachussetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - S P Joy
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - C Polanskey
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - M D Rayman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - J C Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099, USA
| | - P J Chi
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - J P Combe
- The Bear Fight Institute, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - A Ermakov
- Massachussetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - R R Fu
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10968, USA
| | - M Hoffmann
- Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Y D Jia
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - S D King
- Virginia Tech, Geosciences, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - D J Lawrence
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723-6099, USA
| | - J-Y Li
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - F Preusker
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - T Roatsch
- Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt, Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - O Ruesch
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - P Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - M N Villarreal
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - N Yamashita
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
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8
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Ruesch O, Platz T, Schenk P, McFadden LA, Castillo-Rogez JC, Quick LC, Byrne S, Preusker F, O’Brien DP, Schmedemann N, Williams DA, Li JY, Bland MT, Hiesinger H, Kneissl T, Neesemann A, Schaefer M, Pasckert JH, Schmidt BE, Buczkowski DL, Sykes MV, Nathues A, Roatsch T, Hoffmann M, Raymond CA, Russell CT. Cryovolcanism on Ceres. Science 2016; 353:353/6303/aaf4286. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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9
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Buczkowski DL, Schmidt BE, Williams DA, Mest SC, Scully JEC, Ermakov AI, Preusker F, Schenk P, Otto KA, Hiesinger H, O'Brien D, Marchi S, Sizemore H, Hughson K, Chilton H, Bland M, Byrne S, Schorghofer N, Platz T, Jaumann R, Roatsch T, Sykes MV, Nathues A, De Sanctis MC, Raymond CA, Russell CT. The geomorphology of Ceres. Science 2016; 353:353/6303/aaf4332. [PMID: 27701088 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of Dawn spacecraft Framing Camera image data allows evaluation of the topography and geomorphology of features on the surface of Ceres. The dwarf planet is dominated by numerous craters, but other features are also common. Linear structures include both those associated with impact craters and those that do not appear to have any correlation to an impact event. Abundant lobate flows are identified, and numerous domical features are found at a range of scales. Features suggestive of near-surface ice, cryomagmatism, and cryovolcanism have been identified. Although spectroscopic analysis has currently detected surface water ice at only one location on Ceres, the identification of these potentially ice-related features suggests that there may be at least some ice in localized regions in the crust.
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Affiliation(s)
- D L Buczkowski
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA.
| | - B E Schmidt
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | - S C Mest
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - J E C Scully
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, USA
| | - A I Ermakov
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - F Preusker
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - P Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - K A Otto
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - H Hiesinger
- Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - D O'Brien
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - H Sizemore
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - K Hughson
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - H Chilton
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - M Bland
- United States Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
| | - S Byrne
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - N Schorghofer
- University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - T Platz
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - R Jaumann
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - T Roatsch
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - M V Sykes
- Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA
| | - A Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - M C De Sanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziale INAF, Rome 00133, Italy
| | - C A Raymond
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011, USA
| | - C T Russell
- University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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10
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Ammannito E, DeSanctis MC, Ciarniello M, Frigeri A, Carrozzo FG, Combe JP, Ehlmann BL, Marchi S, McSween HY, Raponi A, Toplis MJ, Tosi F, Castillo-Rogez JC, Capaccioni F, Capria MT, Fonte S, Giardino M, Jaumann R, Longobardo A, Joy SP, Magni G, McCord TB, McFadden LA, Palomba E, Pieters CM, Polanskey CA, Rayman MD, Raymond CA, Schenk PM, Zambon F, Russell CT. Distribution of phyllosilicates on the surface of Ceres. Science 2016; 353:353/6303/aaf4279. [PMID: 27701086 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf4279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The dwarf planet Ceres is known to host phyllosilicate minerals at its surface, but their distribution and origin have not previously been determined. We used the spectrometer onboard the Dawn spacecraft to map their spatial distribution on the basis of diagnostic absorption features in the visible and near-infrared spectral range (0.25 to 5.0 micrometers). We found that magnesium- and ammonium-bearing minerals are ubiquitous across the surface. Variations in the strength of the absorption features are spatially correlated and indicate considerable variability in the relative abundance of the phyllosilicates, although their composition is fairly uniform. These data, along with the distinctive spectral properties of Ceres relative to other asteroids and carbonaceous meteorites, indicate that the phyllosilicates were formed endogenously by a globally widespread and extensive alteration process.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Ammannito
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA.
| | - M C DeSanctis
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Ciarniello
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - A Frigeri
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - F G Carrozzo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - J-Ph Combe
- The Bear Fight Institute, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - B L Ehlmann
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - S Marchi
- Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA
| | - H Y McSween
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1410, USA
| | - A Raponi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M J Toplis
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie (UMR 5277), Université de Toulouse, F-31400 Toulouse, France
| | - F Tosi
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - J C Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - F Capaccioni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M T Capria
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - S Fonte
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - M Giardino
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - R Jaumann
- Institute of Planetary Research, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - A Longobardo
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - S P Joy
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
| | - G Magni
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - T B McCord
- The Bear Fight Institute, Winthrop, WA 98862, USA
| | - L A McFadden
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
| | - E Palomba
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - C M Pieters
- Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - C A Polanskey
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - M D Rayman
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA
| | - P M Schenk
- Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 77058, USA
| | - F Zambon
- Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali, Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - C T Russell
- Earth Planetary and Space Sciences, University of California-Los Angeles, 603 Charles Young Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567, USA
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11
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Park RS, Konopliv AS, Bills BG, Rambaux N, Castillo-Rogez JC, Raymond CA, Vaughan AT, Ermakov AI, Zuber MT, Fu RR, Toplis MJ, Russell CT, Nathues A, Preusker F. A partially differentiated interior for (1) Ceres deduced from its gravity field and shape. Nature 2016; 537:515-517. [PMID: 27487219 DOI: 10.1038/nature18955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Remote observations of the asteroid (1) Ceres from ground- and space-based telescopes have provided its approximate density and shape, leading to a range of models for the interior of Ceres, from homogeneous to fully differentiated. A previously missing parameter that can place a strong constraint on the interior of Ceres is its moment of inertia, which requires the measurement of its gravitational variation together with either precession rate or a validated assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. However, Earth-based remote observations cannot measure gravity variations and the magnitude of the precession rate is too small to be detected. Here we report gravity and shape measurements of Ceres obtained from the Dawn spacecraft, showing that it is in hydrostatic equilibrium with its inferred normalized mean moment of inertia of 0.37. These data show that Ceres is a partially differentiated body, with a rocky core overlaid by a volatile-rich shell, as predicted in some studies. Furthermore, we show that the gravity signal is strongly suppressed compared to that predicted by the topographic variation. This indicates that Ceres is isostatically compensated, such that topographic highs are supported by displacement of a denser interior. In contrast to the asteroid (4) Vesta, this strong compensation points to the presence of a lower-viscosity layer at depth, probably reflecting a thermal rather than compositional gradient. To further investigate the interior structure, we assume a two-layer model for the interior of Ceres with a core density of 2,460-2,900 kilograms per cubic metre (that is, composed of CI and CM chondrites), which yields an outer-shell thickness of 70-190 kilometres. The density of this outer shell is 1,680-1,950 kilograms per cubic metre, indicating a mixture of volatiles and denser materials such as silicates and salts. Although the gravity and shape data confirm that the interior of Ceres evolved thermally, its partially differentiated interior indicates an evolution more complex than has been envisioned for mid-sized (less than 1,000 kilometres across) ice-rich rocky bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R S Park
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
| | - A S Konopliv
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
| | - B G Bills
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
| | - N Rambaux
- IMCCE, Observatoire de Paris-PSL Research University, Sorbonne Universités-UPMC Université Paris 06, Université Lille 1, CNRS, 77 avenue Denfert-Rochereau, 75014 Paris, France
| | - J C Castillo-Rogez
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
| | - C A Raymond
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
| | - A T Vaughan
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA
| | - A I Ermakov
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - M T Zuber
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - R R Fu
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA
| | - M J Toplis
- Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planetologie, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - C T Russell
- Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1567, USA
| | - A Nathues
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - F Preusker
- Institute of Planetary Research, DLR, Department of Planetary Geodesy, Rutherfordstrasse 2, 12489 Berlin, Germany
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